Prof. He Jingtang standing in front of the China Pavilion [Zhang Shengbo/Nanfang Daily]

The China Pavilion design team for World Expo 2010 recently confirmed the color and material of the building after six months spent on the conception, selection and production process. The team chose a type of metal with a corrugated vertical texture colored in various shades of red to decorate the outer façade. The concept behind the Pavilion is described as "characteristic of the timeless spirit of China" by the designers.

Color and material

According to Prof. He Jingtang, chief designer and academician of the School of Architecture of South China University of Technology, the "China red" applied in the Expo Pavilion differs from the shade used in the Forbidden City, and is a combination of diverse hues. Different reds are used on each metal plate at different heights, gradually changing from light red to deep purple. The corrugated texture is made up of 70 percent fine, 20 percent medium and 10 percent large. This special design will produce different impressions when viewers look at the Pavilion from different distances. "You can see the texture clearly if you stand closely. A little distance will obscure the lines and only show the shades of color. Seen from far away you can hardly distinguish them," said He.

Explaining the choice of "China red", He said that the color represents happiness, prosperity and the spirit of China. His team turned to a red similar to the color of Chunghwa – a famous Chinese cigarette – packet, rather than the traditional red used in the Forbidden City. However, the advanced nature of the designers' concept made it difficult to find the appropriate material. A special committee of experts in architecture, optics, materials science and planning discussed the issue for a month and finally decided to use metal as the main construction material for the outer surface. Selection of the vertical textures also took a lot of hard work.

Design concept

As one of the principal symbols of World Expo, the China Pavilion has attracted attention from all around the world. The design concept of He's team is described as "characteristic of the timeless spirit of China".

The Chinese characteristics are in fact a blend of Chinese cultural and material heritage such as Peking opera, costume, the color red, and calligraphy. It also includes traditional Chinese architectural forms and methods such as north-south symmetry and timber framework. The design team found great inspiration in all of these elements.

The shape of the Pavilion bears a close resemblance to an ancient Chinese architectural component known as "dougong", the system of wood brackets on the top of a column supporting the crossbeam. Some saw it as a government official's hat, while Professor He tends to admire it as a huge hall expressing goodwill and "prosperity for all Chinese people".

The China Pavilion consists of a national hall, a set of regional halls and a Hong Kong & Macao hall. The design of these halls reflects the traditional Chinese philosophy of "humanity in harmony with nature". The national hall is placed in the center, while local halls lie below providing extensive space for activities and exhibitions.

Four platforms will serve for cultural displays: a city plaza in the south, a 9m high overhead balcony, a 13m high roof garden and a 63m high sightseeing terrace.

"When next traveling to Shanghai, you can have your photo taken in front of the China Pavilion instead of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower – it's more Chinese, and low enough to capture the whole building," Professor He suggests.

(China.org.cn by Ren Zhongxi, April 22, 2009)